UCR Students Rally to Support and Raise Funds for Victims of Typhoon Haiyan

A candlelight vigil for victims of Typhoon Haiyan will be held on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013 at Andulka Park in Riverside.

EDIT: Due to the possibility of rain, the site of the Katipunan FIHSes for a Cause event has been moved to Life Sciences 1500.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Spurred by the news of death and devastation in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, several University of California, Riverside student groups are coming together to host events to raise funds for relief efforts and to give members their community a chance to grieve.

UC Riverside has approximately 1,041 Filipino students among the undergraduate and graduate populations, some of whom have friends and family who have been affected by the disaster.

“There is a feeling of sadness and shock with the amount of damage this typhoon has created. And with the images that are now coming out from the Philippines, there is a sense of urgency to do something,” said William Caganap, interim director of Asian Pacific Student Programs at UCR. “UCR has a proud history of coming together to help in relief efforts during times like this.”

On Friday, November 15 at 8 p.m., a candlelight vigil will be held at Riverside’s Andulka Park. The event is hosted by UCR’s Asian Pacific Islander Student Advisory Council and the Los Angeles-based Anakbayan LA. Other sponsoring groups include UCR’s Katipunan Pilipino Student Organization, the Lubos Pilipino American Student Organization of California State University San Bernardino and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON).

Senior biology major Jesse Santos, student coordinator for Asian Pacific Student Programs and an organizer of the vigil, said it is scheduled to last an hour and the general public is invited to participate. Andulka Park is located at 5273 Chicago Ave. in Riverside.

Katipunan and FIHS will host an event featuring entertainment and a service auction on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013 at the Bell Tower, with all funds going to Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts.

Following the vigil, participants will gather at the Mandarin Gardens restaurant at 1445 University Ave. in Riverside, where 20 percent of profits from 8 p.m. to closing will go towards relief efforts. Flyers about participating in the event will be distributed to patrons at the door.

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Katipunan and Filipinos in Health Sciences (FIHS) will team up to host “Katipunan FIHSes for a Cause” in Life Sciences 1500 beginning at 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature live singing and dancing as well as an auction. In addition to items like movie tickets, groups from each organization will offer themselves up to perform services such as washing a car or doing yard work for the highest bidder. All proceeds from the event will go toward relief efforts and general donations will be accepted.

Yochabel Loyola, a senior biology major and president of UCR Katipunan said that she hopes students from across the campus turn out for the event.

“Though UCR is made up of different people and different organizations, we are one community that should stand together in times of need. There are many UCR students whose families and friends have been affected by this disaster,” she said. “We’re so privileged here, and students should lend a hand and give back to communities who need more support.”

UCR has set up a website with details about how students can help relief efforts in the Philippines. Visit www.relief.ucr.edu for more information.

E-Mail Subscription

Experts on Demand

UC Riverside has dozens of experts in virtually every field you can imagine.

Whether it's the latest fad in Hollywood, the latest must-have gadget or the latest row in Washington, UCR has a vast pool of staff and faculty who can present a unique view right now.

These interactions can take place in person, electronically, through a campus ISDN line, or even via video through our Digital Production Studio, which can put a UCR expert on the air anywhere in the world through AT&T's regional fiber network hub.

UCR is ready to help you find the expertise you need to get the story.

Footer

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment is now nearly 23,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.
A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.